Review: The Secret of Life, SUSTO Style

SUSTO/My Entire Life/New West
3.5 Out Of Five Stars

With a title as sprawling and seemingly overriding as My Entire Life, one might easily imagine that Justin Osborne, the man at the helm of the band SUSTO, has plenty to say about his place in the world and, for that matter, life in general. Nevertheless, when the opening track on the album, aptly titled “Rock On,” describes a day in that life of waking up and gettin’ stoned in the mornin’, it offers the impression that if he’s not simply a slacker, then he’s just a pretty ordinary guy.

Happily then, Osborne and his compadres—guitarist, bassist and keyboard player Johnny Delaware, drummer Marshall Hudson, and co-producer Wolfgang Zimmerman—create a sound that’s both substantive and sublime. The songs drift along at a measured pace, whether it’s through the steady strains of “Mermaid Vampire” and “Tina,” or given the slight uptick in tempo and tonality that characterizes “Mt. Caroline” and “Optimum Artist.” There’s a meditative quality enhancing some of these songs—“Cowboys” and “Rooster” in particular—which imbues the album with a thoughtful presence that the premise certainly provides.

As a result, My Entire Life often comes across a moving and even mesmerizing proviso, one that’s somewhat overarched at times, and almost idyllic at others. And while the tone sometimes seems constrained, there’s enough of a positive flow to maintain its upward intent. The opening verse from “Tragic Kingdom” seems to sum things up with a sense of indelible optimism:

Steppin’ through life, all dirt & spit
Got nothin’ to survive on
Out in space where everything hurts
All you can do is fly…

In other words, make the most of what you’re given, and carry on from there.

Granted, some may consider SUSTO’s latest outing somewhat unobtrusive. Yet it’s the band’s ability to glide gently below the surface and while still charming and, even challenging, the listener speaks to their ability to make an emphatic impression, all without relying on any overwhelming arrangements or stored-up sentiment. Consequently, My Entire Life may not be the epoch experience its title suggests, but it’s intriguing and insightful regardless.

Photo by Paul King / New West Record